Phoenix Coyotes need discipline vs. Detroit Red Wings

Detroit converted on two of five power plays in beating Coyotes in Game 2

by Jim Gintonio - Apr. 17, 2011 08:38 PMThe Arizona Republic

Intensity will be cranked up for Game 3 between the Coyotes and Red Wings on Monday, and with that comes the fine line of aggressiveness and not ending up in the penalty box. Giving the high-powered Detroit any advantage is never a good idea.

In their 4-3 loss Saturday, the Red Wings had five power plays, converting twice.

"We're a pretty disciplined team," defenseman Adrian Aucoin said. "I don't think we're a bunch of hell-raisers out there going out crazy and looking to take people's heads off.

"We just have to play harder. We have to play a little faster and do things quicker, not necessarily charging guys or anything, but just getting the puck behind them quicker and using our speed. We did show what we could do when we put our minds to it.

"I do think when you're kind of chasing a game like that, it's tough to really go off of that because it's a complete different scenario, but we do know we have to play with a little more urgency."

Penalties are part of the game, but it's the dumb ones that can cost a team a win.

Coach Dave Tippett acknowledged that players push the envelope at times. He wants his team to be tough but disciplined. Defenseman Michal Rozsival, for example, committed a slashing penalty after the whistle in the first period, and Brian Rafalski scored to give the Red Wings a 2-0 lead.

"The penalties that I don't like are the Rozsival (one) after the whistle blows, ones like that, we can't have those, you're just taking the percentage of winning away," Tippett said.

"The ability to play hard and stay out of the penalty box, that's what good players do, and there's sometimes when you go over the edge a little bit. I look at the (Johan) Franzen non-call (against Shane Doan). To me, the guy, he toe-picks, he falls down, what would you rather Doaner do?

"There's some (like) the (Rostislav) Klesla (cross-checking) penalty, he's got (Tomas) Holmstrom down, he gives him the extra shot. To me, that's debatable, but that's where you go to find that fine line. That's the competitiveness in the game, and if you're not competitive right now, you're not going to win, but you got to find that fine balance."

How referees interpret plays also has a bearing on the game.

"In the first game, we adjusted to the way they were calling it, and we had the advantages on the power play, and we didn't capitalize on them," Shane Doan said.

"It's different refs each time, and the refs last time they were consistent in the fact they were going to try to keep everything under control and not let it get too emotional, and we didn't adjust as well as we should have."